The unbraked, unattended shopping cart represents a hazard to person and property when permitted to roll free and uncontrolled in areas such as parking lots adjacent to retail establishments. Disposal of the cart to remain unattended occurs frequently in a parking lot after the contents have been emptied into a user's car by being placed at an arbitrary free-standing location. It is not uncommon for the unattended cart to be left on an incline of the lot surface causing the cart to roll or bump into persons or parked auto's in the area. The resulting damage can prove costly, usually for the merchandising proprietor of the premises to which the cart belongs.